Royals extend offer to James Shields

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Royals extended a $15.3 million qualifying offer Monday to right-hander James Shields, which assures the club of draft pick compensation if its staff ace signs a major league contract with another team before June 8.

Shields has until Nov. 10 to accept, and it is expected he will not. In the past two years, none of the 22 free agents given qualifying offers have accepted.

James Shields was 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA for the Royals last season, but went 3-6 with a 5.46 ERA in the postseason -- including two losses in the World Series. Peter G. Aiken/USA TODAY Sports

The Royals also announced Monday that they've exercised their $7 million option on reliever Wade Davis, who was 9-2 with a 1.00 ERA in 71 appearances last season. The Royals also hold team options on his contract for 2016 and '17.

Kansas City has expressed interest in re-signing Shields, who helped the Royals reach the playoffs for the first time in 29 years and win the AL pennant. But with higher-payroll clubs in the market for pitching, Shields is expected to sign elsewhere.

If that happens, the Royals would receive a compensatory draft pick between the first and second rounds of next year's amateur draft.

The 32-year-old right-hander finished 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA last season, his second with the Royals after being acquired along with reliever Wade Davis in a seven-player trade with the Rays in 2012 that sent outfielder Wil Myers, the eventual 2013 American League Rookie of the Year, and right-hander Jake Odorizzi to Tampa Bay.

Despite his nickname of "Big Game James," Shields has a 3-6 record and 5.46 ERA in the postseason. He lost both of his starts in the 2014 World Series against the Giants, coming up short against the dominating Madison Bumgarner, who allowed just one run in 21 innings against Kansas City.

Shields was 27-17 with a 3.18 ERA in two seasons in Kansas City and has a career mark of 114-90 with a 3.72 ERA in nine seasons. He made $13.5 million in 2014 after Kansas City exercised the option on his contract before the season.